Harbor Area Police Community Advisory Board Meeting (October 15, 2009)

Harbor Area Police Community Advisory Board Meeting
(October 15, 2009)


Sergeant Catherine Plows (host)

Captain Billy Hayes gave an update:
- two homicides on Lomita Blvd. near the desolate oil yards
- there have been 21 felony arrests in our area for various violations
- our area is still a place which has code “296” sex offenders. the police department continues to monitor them, some have been sent back to prison
- 20th and Pacific Ave has been a hot spot for criminal activity
- similarly, like the Fourth of July every officer is deployed on duty. it will be the same this Halloween
- surveillance cameras in neighborhoods like the Point Fermin Neighborhood Watch area

Guest, Joan T. McNamara, Assistant Commanding Officer, CTCIB, - in charge of counter terrorism in the harbor and part of the national anti-terrorism advisory board for the President
- gave the first national presentation of the new iWatch program.
- updated us on S.A.R.S. (Suspicious Activity Report) to education police departments about anti-terrorism.
- the iWatch program is a national program to educate the Neighborhood Watch groups and the general public.
- gave history of her participation with Secretary Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, under President George W. Bush who also co-author of the USA PATRIOT Act.
- reviewed what Code “2201” is
- there are 22 Federal investigating agencies in the United States
- overview of Los Angeles Police Dept S.A.R.S. program (Suspicious Activity Report) so they can open terrorist cases
- mechanisms to prompt local police to check a person’s nationality, criminal record, …
- she showed two PSA (Public Service Announcement) movies about iWatch

What constitutes calling the police?
1. If you see someone taking photos of non-esthetic value, security fencing, city infrastructure; dropping off suspicious packages...
2. If so, initiate call to local police
3. S.A.R.S. report generated
4. An investigation is opened

- surveillance cameras in neighborhoods update. linking the police department to them. on apr (?) link ip address
- whose the contact? (not sure). the department is still in the process of building a security room for surveillance. the harbor department has given a $52,000.00 grant for the project.

web site for iWatch:
http://www.lapdonline.org/iwatchla
and
www.iwatchla.org

SARS reporting program is the number one priority in the United States.

There have been issues with LAPD Crime Maps
http://www.lapdcrimemaps.org/
The LAPD Crime Maps uses geo-coding to plot crimes
Please, contact your senior lead officer to confirm crime on LAPD Crime Maps to verify that the crime truly occurred in our area.

Comments from citizens for Commander Joan McNamara and Captain Billy Hayes

- iWatch should be tempered without hysteria from citizens.
- arrest those who are known criminals in known crime areas first
- fix the internal problems on response times and contacting the LAPD Watch Commander on duty
Response from Captain Billy Hayes, police would like to eradicate crimes on a permanent basis, so longer term investigations are being performed.

- there was a complaint of police non-presence on Paseo Del Mar.
Response from Captain Billy Hayes, he introduced traffic officer for the South Harbor area and Officer Brian Cook.

- Suggestion went out to attend Neighborhood Watch meetings.

- Mona and Leslie worked on CPAD

- Lonna Calhoun, President, COPE Preparedness, Point of Distribution, flu (Swine Flu) shots on Saturday & Sunday, Bagdonovich Park 9-5 for people who do not insurance. Wilmington Rec Center
If you would like to volunteer, contact: Lonna@COPE-Preparedness.org
http://www.copss-ca.org/

Next meeting November 19th, 2009.